Chassis: Carbon fibre monocoque (Capricorn)
Class: LMP1
Engine: Peugeot 3,700cc V8 Twin Turbo
Fuel: Diesel
Transmission: Ricardo 6 speed sequential
Brakes: Brembo carbon/carbon
Weight: 900kg
Fuel Tank: –
Year introduced: 2011
The 908 HDi FAP helped Peugeot build up an enviable record of world class successes, including the title in the 2007 LeMans Series, a one-two finish at Le Mans in 2009 and the inaugural ILMC crown in 2010. “We have chosen 908 as the name of the new car in order to build on the wave of success with which it is associated,” says Peugeot’s Director of Marketing and Communications, Xavier Peugeot.
Following in the wake of the 905 and the 908 HDi FAP, the 908 is the third car to have been developed by Peugeot Sport for endurance racing. And, like its forebears, its mission will be to extend Peugeot’s winning record at Le Mans which already features three wins, in 1992, 1993 and 2009. The 908 complies with the latest technical regulations and notably features a so-called shark’s fin engine-cover appendix. It is a closed-cockpit car, with four identical wheels, and is powered by a 550-horsepower, 3.7-litre V8 HDi FAP diesel engine. It means Peugeot Sport will be competing in endurance racing for the fifth year running with a diesel engine equipped with a particulate filter (FAP/Filtre à Particules). Since 1998, more than seven million HDi engines have been sold worldwide, helping Peugeot to earn a reputation as one of the biggest players in the realm of clean diesel power.
Immediately after the 2009 Le Mans 24 Hours, Peugeot Sport’s engineers started to put pen to paper to design a new car destined to comply with the new, upcoming technical regulations. They sought to profit from the lessons learned with the 908 HDi FAP: “The regulations have evolved a great deal but we didn’t start from a clean sheet,” notes Bruno Famin, Peugeot Sport’s Technical Director. “The experience we have gained over the past four years helped to steer the decision-making process and our technical choices, although the only component which has been carried over at the end of the day is the windscreen wiper! One of the principal difficulties we faced was having to design an all-new car while continuing to race another at the same time. We also needed to set ourselves sound objectives with a view to obtaining the best possible package with regard to engine performance, aerodynamics and weight distribution. We will only find out how successful we have been when we start racing the new car…”
Visually the 908 is very similar to the 908 HDI FAP, even though it does not utilise the same chassis. “We knew from previous testing work that there is little significant difference between open- and closed-cockpit cars in terms of their aerodynamic performance” explained Famin. “At the same time, despite the added constraints they bring when working on them at races, closed-cockpit cars provide additional safety for the drivers. We therefore decided to stay with the same solution. Given the big reduction in engine power resulting from the 2011 regulations (a fall of approximately 150hp), we had to take a fresh look at the trade-off between aerodynamics, drag and downforce. The latter has been significantly reduced in order to maintain a reasonably high top speed.”
Even with a reduction in power Peugeot’s engineers in Paris have been developing an all new V8 engine, though seemingly not with a KERS equipped powertrain. A change from the expected layout. “We have also made full of our experience with the V12. We ultimately decided to opt for a turbocharged diesel V8, the characteristics of which are very similar to those of the V12. The angle of the ‘vee’ is 90 degrees (compared with 100 degrees in the case of the V12) for balance reasons. The cubic capacity is 3.7 litres and the new V8 HDi FAP boasts peak power of 550hp. We ran it for the first time on the dyno on January 25, 2010.”
One thing that the 908 has in common with its arch rival the Audi R18 is the tyre size, first pioneered by Nick Wirth on the now mothballed Acura ARX-02 the 908 has equal size tyres all round “today’s LMP cars have a shortcoming with regard to front-end road holding performance” explains Famin. “The logical way to cure this was to increase the size of the contact patch between the tyres and the track, which entailed running bigger front wheels, within the limits specified by the regulations. This aspect of the car’s development was carried out in close collaboration with our partner Michelin.
The new car made its track debut on July 27, 2010. “This was the deadline we set ourselves, although we knew we would almost certainly run into teething trouble given that this was an all-new car. We did indeed have problems but we succeeded in resolving them one by one as we got more and more kilometres on the clock. One of the very positive points we found was that the car’s handling lived up to our expectations out of the box. With regard to its other strengths and weaknesses, we will need to wait until the first races to see how we compare with our rivals. That said, we continue to work without worrying about what our opponents are doing; we are simply focusing on our own objectives. Between the car’s track debut in 2010 and the 2011 Le Mans 24 Hours, we will have completed 12 tests in all, at a number of different circuits.”
At Le Mans the 908’s all sported a new low drag nose section (above), not dissimilar to the version used on the 908 HDI FAP at the track in previous years. Note the extra LED headlight, and cutouts ahead of the front wheels. The splitter is also revised with a chamfered edge. Compare to the version used at Sebring earlier in the season (below).
The engine air intakes on snorkels in launch and Sebring spec have been replaced with a NACA duct in the same location presumably to reduce drag further.
The crash of a 908 at the Spa 1,000km revealed more engine details.
To get around the 20mm Gurney flap mandated for all LMP1’s Peugeot Sport, likely inspired by Oak Racing’s blobby wing, has fitted a dipped rear wing to achieve the same effect.
